“Burke shows again that he’s not just a comic genius, but also a fine dramatic writer and storyteller.” – Booklist. “Prose both scabrous and poetic.” – Publishers Weekly. “Proust meets Chandler over a pint of Guinness.” – Spectator. “A sheer pleasure.” – Tana French. “Among the most memorable books of the year, of any genre.” – Sunday Times. “A hardboiled delight.” – Guardian. “Imagine Donald Westlake and Richard Stark collaborating on a screwball noir.” – Kirkus Reviews. “A cross between Raymond Chandler and Flann O’Brien.” – John Banville. “The effortless cool of Elmore Leonard at his peak.” – Ray Banks. “A fine writer at the top of his game.” – Lee Child.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

The Embiggened O # 3,109: That’s It, I’m Retiring

Say you’re me, just for a second or two. Your humble tome (right) is due to be released in the U.S. tomorrow, Monday September 22nd, and you’re a little nervous as to how it’ll fare. ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to get some positive feedback,’ you might say, ‘just to save yourself the hangover that’ll accrue from attacking that bottle of brandy to steady the nerves.’ And then a Galway-based little birdie passes on the latest newsletter from London’s quality crime fic bookstore Murder One, which happens to mention said humble tome in passing. To wit:

“Declan Burke / THE BIG O £17.99, absolutely wonderful Irish hardboiled novel … Now available in US hardback form and a hoot. Elmore Leonard crossed with Ken Bruen and Fredric Brown!”

Forget about Bruen and Leonard,it's the Fredric Brown reference that wins it for me,expecially because it's not a name that gets dropped around very often.I bought the translation of his collected sci-fi short stories when I was in high school and fell in love.He wrote mysteries and science-fiction and,while some were written in haste in order to pay the bills,when he was on song,boy was he good!Now I'm really itching for my copy!byeMarco

The Big O will fly if those damn yanks have any sense and like their writing sharper than a tack. Herr Burke, you have nothing to fear, sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. And remember your entourage when the going gets good. Mine's a speedball... Bobby the Rookie

You should be flattered by the Frederic Brown comparison, an astute comment on Mr. Jakubowski's part. I called The Big O funny and compassionate, if I recall right. Brown's superb novel The Fabulous Clipjoint has those qualities, too, with two appealing protagonists and a coming-of-age story that salvages the reputation of that debased genre. I recommend it. ============== Detectives Beyond Borders"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/

Thanks a mill, folks - and yeah, the Frederic Brown reference is a nice one, but I didn't think anyone else was still reading him ... happy days. Bateman? Don't even try to buy a copy ... the cheque bounced so high the last time I got a nose-bleed just watching it go.

Erm, Deborah? Are we sure about the Maupin comparisons? Vodka-shots, sure, I can handle that ...

“Among the most memorable books of the year, of any genre, was Declan Burke’s ABSOLUTE ZERO COOL ... a fiendishly dark thriller that evokes the best of Flann O’Brien and Bret Easton Ellis.” - Sunday Times

“As good a collection of short essays on crime fiction as one is likely to find.” - Washington Post